'AB undoubtedly one of cricket's great entertainers'

IMAGE: AB de Villiers retired with an incredible Test average of 50.66 and as the fourth-highest run-scorer for South Africa with 8765 runs. Photograph: Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images

The International Cricket Council congratulated former South Africa Test captain AB de Villiers for an illustrious 14-year international career that saw him excel across all three formats of the game.

The 34-year-old, who came to be known as the most devastating batsmen of his generation and holds several records including the world's fastest ODI half-century, century and 150, announced his sudden retirement from international cricket on Wednesday.

"AB is undoubtedly one of cricket's great entertainers and a genuinely special and instinctive talent. Time and time again he has left cricket fans around the world marveling at his feats with the bat and in the field. International cricket will sorely miss him," ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in a statement.

"His outstanding international record reflects the kind of dominance he has had over bowlers and I thank him on behalf of the ICC for a fine career and an outstanding contribution to cricket and wish him all the best for the future."

Starting out as a wicketkeeper-batsman, he finished his career with 463 catches, including those behind the wicket and in the field, as well as 17 stumpings, in all international cricket.

He ended with an average of more than 50 in both Tests and ODIs and often featured at the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Player Rankings. He spent 507 days as the top-ranked Test batsman and 1,356 days (fourth-most ever) as the top-ranked ODI batsman.

He reached 935 points in the Test rankings in 2014, the joint-highest ever for South Africa and the joint-11th highest of all time. In ODIs, he reached 902 points in 2015, the highest for South Africa.

Though known more for his accomplishments in limited-over formats, his 278 not out against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in 2010 was briefly the highest Test score for South Africa.

De Villiers is the only wicketkeeper to score a century and make at least 10 dismissals in the same Test (103 not out, 11 catches) versus Pakistan at Johannesburg in February 2013.